Chapter 2 A Night Of Wonders

Alicia's POV

I turned back toward the crowd and that was when I did a double take.

There was a man in the VIP booth and not just any man by the looks of it.

He stood out in a way that made the rest of the room blur. Everyone else was talking, laughing, drinking and leaning toward one another like vultures dressed in expensive suits but this man sat still.. perfectly still in an uncanny sort of way.

The booth itself was raised, guarded and dimly lit. Whoever sat there had to be insanely rich.. the kind of rich that didn't need to show it. Multi-billionaire among billionaires kind of rich.

His face was sharp and unreadable with no smile, no frown and no interest in the people around him. His eyes... grey and coldly focused... were locked on me.

He didn't blink for once and rhe moment our eyes met, something surged through me.

It wasn't normal.. it felt like electricity shot straight through my chest and down my spine. My breath caught, my fingers tingled and my heart skipped like it had forgotten how to work for half a second. Not just that but I suddenly felt a strong arousal and a feeling of attraction towards him.

What the hell was that?

I almost missed a step.. almost. My heel wobbled and panic flashed through me but I forced myself to steady. I finished the pose, turned smoothly and walked back like nothing had happened.

In my head, I was freaking out.

Get it together, Alicia!

He was just a man.. a very rich, very intense man. Probably used to eye fucking women like they were things he could buy.

I lifted my chin, annoyed now. Fine. Eye-fuck me all you like, rich stranger. I've seen worse!

By the time I disappeared behind the curtains, my heart was still racing as I tried to figure out what in the actual fuck had just happened back there!

The auction wrapped up quickly after that as applause echoed through the hall, people stood amd voices rose. The models began to scatter backstage, some laughing, some checking phone and others already being pulled aside by designers or buyers.

Maureen rushed toward me the second she saw me.

"Oh my God." she squealed, grabbing my arms. "Alicia. Alicia. Did you see them? You killed it. Absolutely murdered them!"

I huffed.

"Relax."

"No, I'm serious." she said. "You were the sexiest one out there tonight. Hands down. This is a big win. A big one."

"I just want to go home." I muttered.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat behind us.

I froze and slowly, I turned.

Oh my gosh... It was him!

Up close, he was... worse.. or better. I couldn't decide.

He was tall with broad shoulders filling out a perfectly tailored black three-piece suit, black hair brushed back falling just past his shoulders. His face was all sharp lines and quiet danger and grey eyes that looked like they'd seen too much and cared about none of it. He looked even more unreal standing this close.

"Miss." he said calmly.

His voice was deep, smooth and controlled. My knees almost betrayed me at the sound of it and I felt an embarrassing wetness between my legs.

I swallowed.

"Yes?"

"You were exceptional tonight."

He didn't smile but something about the way he said it made my stomach flip.

"Thank you." I said, hoping my voice sounded normal.

Maureen immediately stepped forward, flashing her brightest smile.

"She really was, wasn't she? Alicia has always had that effect on people."

He didn't even look at her.. his eyes stayed on me.

"I bought your dress." he said.

"Oh." I said dumbly. "Okay."

"But I want more than the dress."

He let the words hung for a while between us.

"I want your body."

Silence suddenly crashed down on us. Maureen and I stared at him and then at each other.

"What?" I blurted.

He studied my face like he was weighing something and then he reached into his suit and pulled out a folder so crisp and white.

"There's a contract." he said calmly. "If you're interested."

"For what exactly?" I asked.

"Your body in exchange for twenty million dollars which will be paid right now."

Maureen gasped.

Then... before I could even process what was happening... she snatched the folder from his hands.

"Twenty million dollars?" she whispered.

He nodded.

"Paid immediately."

Her eyes went wide.

"Deal!"

She signed..! Just like that!

My brain short-circuited.

"What the fuck?!" I shouted. "Maureen!"

She grabbed my arm and dragged me a few steps away.

"Lower your voice!"

"You just sold me like a prostitute!" I hissed.

"For your own good." she whispered fiercely. "We need this money."

"I'm not a prostitute!"

She scoffed.

"Don't act holy. This wouldn't be the first time you fuck a man for money! We've both done things before when we were desperate."

She sighed and looked around agitatedly.

"This is one night." she said. "One night with a rich man and then you're back home. Twenty million dollars, Alicia. One in a million."

I shook my head.

"No."

"We'll be homeless." she snapped. "We only have three days. Remember?"

I clenched my fists. Damn her! Damn the situation and damn the fucking empty shoebox!

After a long moment, I took the pen and I signed too. One night of fucking a stranger won't kill me.. I guess.

When we returned, I handed the folder back.

"It's done." I said stiffly.

For the first time, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes.. not a smile though.. but an emotion at last. He turned and gestured to another man nearby.

"Damon." he said. "Take her home. Make sure she's comfortable. I'll be there shortly."

The man nodded.

Damon was tall too, built like a wall and his eyes were sharp and assessing.

Maureen accepted a fat cheque with shaking hands as Damon led me away.

Outside, a black limousine waited with the inside of it all leather seats, quietness and power.

The drive felt unreal and at last.. we arrived at a towering penthouse surrounded by armed men in suits.. giving me the feeling this man was a no nonsense man.

Damon led me to a bedroom.

"Servants are available. Clothes are in the wardrobe and the boss will be here soon."

"He better hurry." I muttered. "I want to get this over with and get out of this place."

Damon smiled in a pitying way.

"Didn't you read the contract?" he asked softly.

My stomach dropped.

"No.. why?"

"You're his property now." He explained. "You belong to the Boss."